The role of women in Micronesian society.

Women are the foundation on which the pillars of our society(Micronesian)lay upon. it is also the women that we get our clans and inheritance and place in society from. In the marshall islands if war broke out between clans anf brothers,as it did between the the chiefs of majuro atoll,the two chiefs of majuro who were brothers fought a long and devestating war for controll of that island would have fought to the dead untill their eldest sister leimakua told them to stop and they did stop their war upon each other,this shows that women in the past held comsiderable influence and respect but now days we men tell them to keep silence and dont intervier in politics. We men have forgotten that its by and thru the grace of our women that we are here and alive. We must respect our women and protect them cause if not then who will.

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Here are some titles that were bestowed on women in the marshall islands. What are the roles of the women in chuuk,yap,Palau,kosrae and pohnpei. Can anyone from those islands enlighten us as to what were attributes to women and their role in your society,culture and customs.

1. leejmanjuri, the power to cease the warring between brothers or any other disputes, as women are traditionally the peacemakers in Marshallese society

2. kora in eoeo, the unifier, literally, "one who weaves or knits society together and ensures that it does not unravel"

3. jined ilo kobo, the nurturer and mother, literally, the "heart or core of motherhood" or "treasured mothering forever"

4. limaro pikpik kolo eo, the encourager or cheerleader

5. koramennunak, the traveler, literally, "free like a flock of flying birds," indicating that a woman has the freedom to move and marry as she wishes, unconstrained by notions of place

6. kora itz wonene, literally, the "continued extension of the prepared pandanus leaf," which is required in the weaving of mats (by continuing to extend the pandanus leaf, the mat can be as long as the weaver wishes), indicating that as long as the bwij (lineage) of the woman is intact, all power, right, ownership, and authority continue through her lineage

7. kora im an kol, which refers to a woman's unique knowledge, talent, and creativity (8)

There is an eighth attribute purportedly held by Marshallese women, korajeltan bwij (one who unravels), which speaks to the "power [of a woman] to draw [her] spouse away from loyalty to his mother." (9)

Matrilineage in a Patriarch society balances the power between genders, where women are landowners, and men are decision makers. it worked out just fine back then, from the way things where, it didn't seem like Micronesian women were supressed or opressed in any kind of way, compared to the way things are today. Since democracy has given both genders the right to land ownership, women have seemed to lost their place/voice in modern micronesia, given the fact that they are suppressed from leadership in the community. Nowadays, men seem to have this misconception that they are the superior gender, although it was never that way in the beginning. My opinion, if Micronesia aims to move forward in a democratic society, in terms of economic development, women should be given the same voice and place in society. We are slowly getting there.

The women in chuukese culture are not allowed to speak or dnt have a say in any puplic meeting though they have a very important role in the Chuukese way of life.Women are very important, they raise the family, keep the family together nd so on nd so forth.Chuukese people follow everything through the mom side of the family, nvr from the dad. We take the clan, island, village nd history. Lands are also inherited through the women.